RSE seasonal work visa cost: worker and employer
A Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) worker visa is priced in the fee data at $325 for a worker applying from outside NZ, or $285 for a listed Pacific passport. INZ's RSE page gives a "from" price and mentions an immigration levy without an amount, so the levy is being re-checked. The employer's side is separate: $1,040 for RSE status and $280 for an Agreement to Recruit.
Fees as at 7 November 2026, checked against INZ.
What INZ charges for the worker visa
| Where you apply from | Application fee | Immigration levy | Visitor levy (IVL) | INZ total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I'm in NZ | $325 | $0 | $0 | $325 |
| Overseas, Pacific passport | $285 | $0 | $0 | $285 |
| Overseas, other passport | $325 | $0 | $0 | $325 |
Source: Immigration New Zealand. Checked 7 November 2026. Fees aren't refunded if an application is declined.
INZ's RSE limited visa page says applicants must be 18 or older, hold a job offer from a Recognised Seasonal Employer and be citizens of an eligible Pacific nation, while other nationalities need INZ's agreement. INZ says the Pacific agent sends the application.
Being re-checked. INZ's RSE page shows a "from" price and says the application involves a fee and an immigration levy, but does not itemise either. The worker figures above come from the site's fee data, where the levy line could not be confirmed in the Fees Guide.
Work out your own total
Each worker applies for their own visa, and INZ says partners and dependent children cannot be included. The calculator counts one adult per worker.
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Full cost guides
Each guide has worked examples, when you pay what, and legal ways to pay less.
Every INZ fee, levy and IVL in one table
Three examples
- A worker from Tonga or Vanuatu, applying from home through a Pacific agent: $285.
- A worker from another country that INZ has agreed to accept: $325.
- An orchard business that is new to the scheme and wants its first crew: $1,040 for status plus $280 for the Agreement to Recruit, before any worker visa is paid. Employers in a joint Agreement to Recruit each complete and pay for their own (INZ).
When you pay each part
INZ says the Pacific agent sends the worker's application. For the employer, INZ points to its fees finder for the Agreement to Recruit cost. INZ's Agreement to Recruit steps have employers applying 5 to 7 months before they want workers to arrive, so a start in July to September means applying around February.
Legal ways to pay less
- The fee data lists a lower Pacific band for the worker, shown in the table above.
- Employers sharing one joint Agreement to Recruit each pay only their own.
- A partner cannot be included on the visa, so there is no partner fee on it.
- INZ says the employment agreement may include voluntary deductions. The page does not say who covers the application fee.
Mistakes that cost money
- Leaving the Agreement to Recruit too late. INZ sets the application window against the quarter workers arrive in.
- Medical evidence older than 3 months when INZ receives it, so a second X-ray or examination may be needed.
- Gaps in insurance. The medical insurance must cover the whole stay, with evidence such as a certificate or approval letter.
- Staying past the expiry date. Extensions are only for exceptional circumstances, and the worker must leave before the visa ends.
- Rostering under 30 hours a week. INZ says workers must be paid for at least 30 hours a week averaged over four weeks, and the employer tops up the pay if the work falls short.
Extras for this visa
INZ's page says a chest X-ray is needed for applicants from countries without low TB incidence, whatever the length of stay, while applicants from low-TB countries such as Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu normally do not need one for stays of 12 months or less (INZ). Police certificates are needed from age 17 when total time in NZ will be 24 months or longer. Estimates:
- Chest X-ray, when INZ requires one: $130–$205 per adult.
- Police certificates, when required: $44–$72 each.
- Certified English translations: $62–$95 per document.
Quick answers
How much is the RSE worker visa?
$325 from outside NZ, or $285 for a listed Pacific passport. These are the site's fee data, and the levy is being re-checked against INZ's RSE page.
Can a worker bring a partner or children?
No. INZ says a partner or dependent children cannot be included in the application. Source: INZ RSE limited visa page.
How long can an RSE worker stay?
Normally a maximum of 7 months in any 11-month period, with 2 extra months for citizens of Tuvalu and Kiribati who live there. Source: INZ RSE limited visa page.
What does an employer pay to hire RSE workers?
$1,040 for RSE status and $280 for an Agreement to Recruit. Source: INZ Fees Guide.
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